Homecoming
by Iawen Londea
Summary: Percy has been reunited with his family but are they ready to forgive him? Now complete!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, nor do I make any profits from this.  
  
Many thanks to Elwen, my beta reader! =D  
  
Chapter One  
  
Percy Weasley had just apparated to the front door of the Burrow, the home of his large family, only to discover it empty as he walked inside. Calling out for his parents, and then his siblings, he was met with a stunning, heartbreaking silence.  
  
Of course they had moved. Percy mentally kicked himself. They would not stay somewhere where they were vulnerable to the Dark Lord; most of the family was in the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
He had been wrong. Lord Voldemort had come back, Harry Potter had been telling the truth, and Percy's entire family had been on the right side. And he, Percy, had left them all in favor of the Ministry of Magic, who had turned out to be in the wrong.  
  
Percy still remembered how his heart had jumped to his throat when Cornelius Fudge had told him the truth. The third Weasley son had taken sides with a liar and a coward against his entire family. As Percy stepped out of the house and into the rain, it felt as though his heart was still in his throat.  
  
Soon his soaked robes were as heavy as his heart as Percy walked down the long road, knowing he could have just apparated back to the Ministry to wait until morning for his father to come to work. But he had not wanted to speak with Arthur Weasley at the office-he wanted to apologize at home, and to the entire family.  
  
He did not expect forgiveness. No, Percy was aware of how much grief and anger he had caused his family, especially his parents. But he knew he owed to them to apologize, and he figured he could at least hope to be forgiven. Then he could hope that there was still a place for him somewhere in this cruel world, that his family still loved him unconditionally.  
  
Through the sounds of the harsh winds and the rain, a small voice calling his name barely reached his ears. Thinking he imagined it, Percy ignored it and walked on.  
  
"Percy!"  
  
The shrill voice rang through the air, halting Percy in his tracks. Slowly he turned back to the abandoned house. Squinting through the storm, Percy could barely make out a redheaded figure, shorter but more muscular than himself, running towards him, holding an umbrella over his head.  
  
"Charlie?" the younger Weasley called back, recognizing his older brother at once. He walked towards Charlie slowly until they met up with each other.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he asked the older Weasley as Charlie pulled Percy underneath the umbrella.  
  
"I took a personal leave from work to come out here and be with the family." There was a pause. "Professor Dumbledore thought you might be here. Mum and Dad have been hoping you would have tried to make contact with them earlier. Here."  
  
Charlie handed Percy an envelope, which Percy opened to find an invitation from Dumbledore.  
  
"An invitation to.. Grimmauld Place?"  
  
Charlie gave a nod of his head. "Come on."  
  
*******  
  
"This is the Black family house," Percy stated with awe as he and his brother appeared in front of the house.  
  
Charlie nodded. "We'll be changing headquarters as soon as we can find another place. It's weird here now that." Charlie's voice trailed off but Percy knew what he was about to say.  
  
The younger redhead took a deep breath and followed his brother into the dining room, where their parents sat at a table in deep discussion. When they saw Percy, both stopped talking, their eyes wide and cautious as they stared at him.  
  
"Er.um, hi, Mom, Dad," Percy began nervously. "Listen, er. I am sorry I didn't listen to you about Fudge, and about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. You were right." Percy hesitated, as his next words did not come easy for him. "I was wrong."  
  
Molly's eyes filled with tears as she listened to her son's apology. She offered him a smile before turning to Arthur.  
  
Percy looked to him as well. "Dad. I am so sorry I didn't come visit when you were in the hospital. I should have. I wanted to. I was a complete git, as Ron would say. I really should have come."  
  
The smile Percy got in return was weak but sincere. Arthur slowly made his way over to his third son and, placing one hand on his shoulder, shook his hand.  
  
"Nice to have you back," he said. Percy nodded slowly, hope shining in his eyes for the first time in what felt like forever.  
  
With a cry of joy, Molly sprung from her seat and threw her arms around Percy so tightly he could barely breathe.  
  
"Welcome back to the family," she sobbed. Percy shifted uncomfortably but returned the embrace. He never had dealt well with his mother when she was like this.  
  
When Molly finally let him go, still sniffling, Percy felt Charlie's hand to his shoulder and he turned to his older brother with a smile.  
  
"Since Dumbledore invited you to stay here do you think you will? It's only temporary anyway, until we find a new place," Molly offered hopefully.  
  
"Uh." Percy cast an awkward glance at his parents. Things were still awkward with his father, he knew, and Percy still had to face his other siblings. Some of them, Percy realized, would be much less forgiving than his parents and Charlie had been.  
  
"Let's just settle for dinner for tonight," Percy replied, catching the disappointed look on Molly's face and feeling like a jerk for it. With a frown Percy wondered if the repercussions of his mistakes were far from over.  
  
TBC 


	2. Chapter Two

**A/N: I did _not_ mean for this chapter to have taken me so long! I had it written long before I even posted chapter one! *slaps self* Sorry for making everyone wait, and I promise to get the next chapter out much quicker!**

**Chapter Two**

Not more than fifteen minutes later George and Fred came barreling through the doorway, laughing madly at something. As quickly as they had entered, George's eyes fell upon his older brother and all his mirth disappeared.

Fred, sensing the change in his twin, followed George's line of sight, turning his body ninety degrees until he too saw Percy staring back at him. His smile faded. 

"What is he doing here?" Fred snarled, his look of disgust mirroring George's expression.

"Now boys," Molly cried, getting upset. "Your brother has apologized, and he was invited here by Dumbledore himself. We re all on the same side now."

"I don't know about that," George hissed, inching closer to Percy, whose heart fell to his stomach. "Just because he's ' apologized doesn't suddenly put him in the right."

"No one is saying that," Arthur pointed out. "But he is your brother--,"

"I would have liked him to keep that in mind," George replied, not caring that he had cut his father off. He turned to Percy. "I'll bet you were in an uproar when you heard how Fred and I left Hogwarts. Do you even know what Umbridge wanted to do to us?"

Percy gulped, nodding. He remembered Umbridge raving about having the twins whipped, and he remembered hearing about how it had almost been done. He stared wide eyed at his brothers, who both looked at him expectantly. He had figured they would be less than thrilled to see him, but he was not used to seeing either of them so angry.

"I really am sorry," he told them. "I can't undo what I did, or things that I said…"

"Boys, please," Molly cried, tears flowing down her face. "We are a family. Percy would never want either of you to be hurt, would you Percy?"

"No!" he exclaimed, meaning the word whole-heartedly.

Fred and George regarded their brother for a moment before responding. "Really?" Fred sounded cynical.

"Yes, really. Please believe me, you are my brothers, and—," Percy cut himself off.

Fred and George looked at each other before shrugging and accepting Percy's apology. While their anger seemed to have disappeared, there was still a coolness in their actions towards him. 

"Well at least you know now you were wrong," Fred said hesitantly. "Mum, when's dinner?"

The issue seemed resolved for the moment. Percy sat at the table and watched the twins and Charlie get into a friendly debate about one of the new inventions for Fred and George's joke shop. Percy still had a lot to make up for, that was sure.

Percy exchanged a glance with his father and the younger Weasley shifted uncomfortably. Suddenly this was the last place he wanted to be and a growing feeling of anxiety rose in the pit of his stomach. If he'd had gotten such a cold, angry reception from Fred and George, what was he to expect from Bill, Ron, and Ginny?

Bill had always tried to be understanding to Percy's ambition, even if he did participate in the jokes the twins and Charlie played on Percy. As the oldest child, Bill had taken it upon himself to look after every one of his siblings when their parents could not and in ways that their parents could not. On several occasions when Percy had nowhere else to go he had been able to turn to his oldest brother.

Percy had tried to be like that for Ginny. He realized it must have been hard for her to be the only girl, and the youngest of seven at that. He did not always understand her but he had tried his best to be a good older brother. Knowing that he had let her down was killing him.

But it was with Ron where Percy's biggest concern lay. Percy shuddered as he remembered the long letter he had written to congratulate Ron on becoming a prefect. Ron must have been completely angry with him for suggesting he turn his back on Harry. Ron had been through a lot with Harry, mostly because of Voldemort. For Percy to have suggested that Harry was a liar and that Voldemort had not really returned must have been like a slap in the face.

As he looked at the others in the room, Percy realized that at least he still had a place in the family. That was more than he had expected. Things were still awkward, but his father had forgiven him and his mother couldn't be happier to have him back. Things seemed okay with Charlie, and he was guessing that eventually they would be okay with Fred and George as well. But if Ginny and Ron never forgave him, then Percy knew he would never forgive himself either.

When Molly called everyone for dinner, Percy had the pleasure of meeting everyone who was in the Order of the Phoenix that he had not already met. Professor Snape did not join them for dinner. Percy was happy to learn that Snape only came for meetings and did not take up residence at the place and rarely ever ate with the rest of the Order.

When Bill came in to eat, he gave Percy a smile and took the seat next to him, on the opposite side of where Charlie sat.

"Welcome back," he greeted his younger brother, sounding incredibly pleased.

"Thank you," Percy returned the smile. 

"Took you long enough."

Percy bowed his head, feeling the shame return. Bill put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay. We all make mistakes, and I know that you're sorry."

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione came into the room just then, the last of everyone to come for dinner. That in itself Percy found odd, as Ron was always hungry and was usually one of the first to come for a meal. But the melancholy faces of the three took him rather aback.

"What is he doing here?" Ron echoed Fred's reaction, right down to his facial expression, to a tee. Ginny and Hermione looked surprised to see him as well, and Ginny did not look thrilled.

The entire room fell silent as Percy rose to his feet.

"I'm only staying for dinner," he explained.

"Your brother knows he was wrong and he has apologized," Molly explained, looking upset again.

"I really am sorry," Percy told his youngest siblings. "You have no idea how much."

"You walked out on the family," Ginny seethed, her eyes flashing dangerously. "You didn't even visit Dad in the hospital! You believed Harry was a liar! If the Ministry hadn't been so stupid than a lot of things could have been prevented."

Ginny looked more upset now than angry; Percy guessed she was referring to Sirius' death.

"Now dear," Molly cut in, her voice shaking, "your brother has apologized and that WILL be enough. We can discuss this later, AFTER dinner."

Taking the hint, the young Weasley daughter swallowed her anger and took one of the remaining seats, digging into her food. The rest of the room resumed eating as well, but remained deathly quiet.

Hermione started towards a chair as well, only to stop and look back at Ron. Ron was still standing at the doorway, staring at Percy with anger and disgust. Percy stared back, knowing he had been right—Ron was the angriest in the family. Fred, George, and Ginny had far from forgiven him but steps had been taken in the right direction with them. Clearly with his youngest brother he had a lot farther to go.

As Arthur opened his mouth to address Ron, the angry young redhead turned on his heels and stormed out of the room. The only noise heard in the room was the sound of Ron's footsteps marching up the stairs. Hermione called out for him and chased after him, and her steps could be heard on the stairs as well. Percy jumped slightly at the sound of a door slamming. Molly started to rise to her feet.

"Leave him," Bill advised, stopping his mother. "He probably won't come down, and Hermione would have better luck anyway."

Molly sighed heavily and returned to her food, now only picking at it. Percy also resigned and sat back down.

"Good luck with him, mate," Fred told him from across the table. "It'll take a lot more for him to forgive you than a bunch of apologies, even if they are sincere." Percy noticed a small gleam of anger in Fred's eyes again.

"I don't see what reason Ron has to be that upset," Charlie commented. "If the rest of us can get past it, then so can he."

"Well then you obviously haven't read the letter Percy wrote to Ron at the beginning of the school year," Ginny replied coolly.

"Letter?" Arthur asked Percy, his eyebrows raised. A feeling of dread rose in Percy's stomach; he did not want to have to explain about that letter to his parents. "What letter?"

**TBC**


	3. Chapter Three

**A/N: Unfortunately I lost chapter three. I had it written before I even posted chapter one. Okay, I had _most_ of it written before I posted chapter one, lol. It disappeared and I had to rewrite it, and that's why I took so long. I am really sorry about that!! I shall stop making excuses and get the rest done as soon as I can. =)**

**A/N 2: Many thanks to Elwen, my beta. HUGGLES!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, etc. No profits were made, etc.**

**Chapter Three**

It was with a heavy sigh that Arthur Weasley listened to his third-born son explain the letter he'd written to Ron to congratulate him on becoming a prefect. Percy kept his eyes to the table, not wanting to see the disappointment he knew would shine on both his parents' faces.

As Arthur regarded Percy, he was left to wonder how things had gotten so out of hand. He and Molly had tried to raise all seven of their children to be loving, caring people. It was not that Percy was unloving, or even uncaring, but in the last year he had shown so much disregard for his family that Arthur wondered if he had somehow gone wrong in parenting this child.

The entire table was completely silent, the tension so thick that Arthur thought he might choke on it. Molly sat next to him, chin in her palm, looking like she was trying not to cry again. The other members of the Order looked awkward, as if they felt out of place, and he didn't blame them. This entire conversation should have taken place after dinner, when the Weasleys could talk in private.

Ginny sat before her plate, fuming. Charlie and Bill both appeared slightly shocked from their brother's words, while Fred and George were the only two at the table to have resumed eating. The looks they exchanged with each other, however, told Arthur the twins were indeed upset. At least they could get over it, Arthur thought grimly.

"Well," he forced himself to speak, knowing the continuing silence only made Percy feel worse. "This is quite the hole you have dug for yourself, Percy. But you are quite capable, and I expect that in time you shall be able to get yourself out of it."

Thankfully this cued everyone else to continue eating. Percy nodded at his father's words, lifting his gaze to meet the older Weasley. A long look passed between the two, and when the moment was broken, and both resumed eating, Percy looked slightly comforted and managed to return a smile given him by his oldest brother.

Hermione came down to eat a short while later, saying nothing a wearing a forbidding facial expression. Tonks engaged in polite conversation with Moody in order to break the silence, and everyone waited politely until Hermione was done eating.

When the plates had all been cleared, Hermione asked Molly for some food to take upstairs to Ron. That was when Percy decided it was time for him to go.

"No, please don't leave," Molly begged, clasping Percy's hand in hers tightly. "You only just came back."

"Mum, I've overstayed my welcome. I think it's best to start things slowly with everyone," he explained, and then cut off her protests. "Besides, Ron won't come down as long as I'm here."

"Ron needs to see that you are truly sorry and that you have no intention of leaving the family again," Arthur spoke up, placing a hand on Percy's shoulder. "However I do think it best that you leave for the night. The Burrow is quite safe, no one has been there for months. Will you come for lunch tomorrow?"

Molly looked ready to punch her husband until she remembered that Hermione was patiently waiting to take food upstairs to Ron. With a tight hug to Percy, she bid him goodbye and assured him she loved him. "Lunch is at twelve-thirty," she reminded him just before apparated.

"Is Ron terribly angry?" Arthur turned to Hermione as soon as Percy was gone. Molly listened closely to the conversation as she prepared a plate of food.

"Yes, he is, and don't tell him he shouldn't be, please," Hermione replied firmly. "Percy has a lot to make up for."

"We know he does," Arthur replied calmly. "But he is still a member of this family, and he is not to be treated otherwise."

Hermione nodded, biting her tongue on the matter, and returned upstairs with a full plate of food in her hands.

****

Ron didn't come downstairs until the next morning, when Ginny burst into his room and announced their mother had made his favorites for breakfast. Once assured that Percy was gone, Ron agreed to come down and eat.

He was surprised to reach the table and find only Weasleys there-Hermione and the Order members were not there.

"Good morning Ron!" Molly greeted a bit too cheerfully as Ron took his seat.

"We have called a family meeting over breakfast, which is why we are eating so early," Arthur informed everyone. "Everyone else will be eating later. Now, please, dish up."

The eight Weasleys present quickly dug into the food before them and Ron found he didn't care they were eating so early. He had picked at his food last night and now his stomach was grumbling in protest.

"We need to discuss your brother," Molly told her children when they had all started eating. Just like that, Ron's appetite went out the window. With a groan, he wondered why his parents couldn't let him eat in peace.

"Must we?" Ginny muttered.

"Yes," her mother replied sharply. "Now you all listen to me. I mean every word of what I am about to say. No one is excusing Percy's behavior, and you have your right to your anger. But he is still your brother and he still has a place in this family. He is trying to make up for what he has done."

Ron snorted, which Molly and Arthur both chose to ignore.

"We aren't asking you to forgive him right off," Arthur continued for his wife. "We are, however, expecting you to give him a chance. Surely you can manage to do that much."

Ron could clearly see that his parents were addressing himself, the twins, and Ginny. Bill and Charlie obviously held Percy no grudge, and while he didn't really blame them it still angered him. Why did Percy get to walk out on the family as he did and then be welcomed back so quickly and completely? It was far more than he deserved, Ron thought bitterly. Ron was not going to welcome Percy back so easily.

**TBC**

**A/N: Please review and let me know what you think!!**

To all previous reviewers: Thank you soo much!! Your reviews have meant a lot to me and again I am so sorry I took so long to update. Hopefully you are still with me!


	4. Chapter Four

**A/N: Many thanks to my beta, Elwen. =D**

**Chapter Four**

Ron and Charlie were playing wizard's chess when noon came and Percy arrived. There was still half an hour to lunch, but Percy had come over early with the purpose to visit with his family, and to show his younger siblings that he intended on sticking around.

The welcome he received was neither as surprised nor as awkward as the one he had gotten the day before. His parents were bright and cheery, Bill immediately engaged him in a conversation about an upcoming international Quidditch game, and Charlie called out a warm greeting from across the room.

No one else really said anything to him, except for an occasional comment from Tonks or Lupin, or someone else from the Order whom he didn't know. He had come prepared to be ignored by his younger siblings, and since he knew he deserved it, he was able to take it.

"Are you going to stay with the Ministry?" Bill asked him when they'd worn out the subject of Quidditch. Percy looked at him, slightly surprised by the question. "It's only a question, Perce," the older brother laughed.

"Oh… Yes, I think I will stay with the Ministry, but I think I'll switch departments. I'm not quite sure what will happen exactly."

Here Percy's eyes met with Ron's but only for a quick second; the younger feigned disinterest and turned back to his chess game.

Percy thought. _They have never understood why I am so ambitious. None of them. The most likely to understand are Fred and George._

That in itself was ironic because the twins and Percy had never seen eye to eye on anything. Not even once. There had always been a wall between them, since they were very young. They were of the same family, but just too different for things to be any other way.

Lunch was a silent affair. Neither Ron nor Percy had much to say to anyone, and Ginny kept a rather dark look on her face that stopped everyone from speaking to her. The twins kept joking back and forth to each other, and for once Molly was grateful for it because it kept the mood at the table lighter. Nothing would be accomplished if everyone was brooding.

Arthur asked Percy to stay for a while after lunch was over, and to everyone's surprise Percy agreed. He did not want anyone to think he was only coming for meals.

When his plate was clear, Ron quietly went up to his room, and he was not surprised that Hermione followed him. As she walked in he noticed the determination on her face so he just let her talk.

"Ron, you can be such a git sometimes," she told him, ignoring the surprised expression on his face at her words. "I completely understand why you're so angry, and you have every right to be, but you wont even let him try to make up for it. Ron, he's your brother! He may not be the only one you'll ever have, but he's the only one like him you'll ever have."

"Thank God for that!" Ron yelled, rising to his feet and stepping closer to his friend. "Why should it be so easy for him? Why does he get to come back to this family so quickly after everything he did? He didn't even show up when my dad was in the hospital! Did he care? I don't have to forgive him—he doesn't deserve it."

"No, he doesn't. But Ron, that's what forgiveness is! It's not earned, it's given. He's your brother, and in spite of everything I know you love him and I know that he loves you. You know he is sorry."

"That is not bloody good enough! Sorry doesn't even begin to make up for it. And how do I know that he won't do it again next time around?"

"You don't," she replied after a pause. She opened her mouth to say more but Ron cut her off.

"Last night you were in complete agreement with me, but now you're telling me that I should give him a chance. So what changed?" Ron waited for an answer, but Hermione didn't reply quickly enough. "Never mind, just forget it. It doesn't matter anyway."

Hermione glared at the red-head before leaving without a word.

***

Percy was still at the house, talking to Charlie, when Ron came downstairs nearly an hour later. Ginny looked surprised to see him; he just gave her a weak, none-too-reassuring smile before asking Percy to speak with him in private.

The older brother agreed, unsure of whether this was a good thing or not. They headed to an empty room on the first floor, everyone staring after them anxiously.

"To be a fly on the wall for that conversation," Tonks said aloud to everyone.

"Time to break out some old tricks," George said to Fred, who nodded in understanding. They disappeared upstairs for a few moments and returned with their Extendable Ears.

"I do not want to know where or when you got those, but put them back now!" Molly yelled, her face going red with anger.

"It's for Percy's own good, Mum," Fred told her innocently. "We need to make sure that Ron isn't about to kill him."

"Besides, this is the only way we'll get to know what was said," George reasoned. "And we know you want to know."

No one could argue with this, not even Molly, and quietly everyone hovered around the door the two brothers had gone into.

*****

Percy waited for a few tense moments for Ron to say something, and he grew more nervous the more that time went by.

Finally Ron gathered his thoughts. "Our parents have made it perfectly clear that you are still a part of this family, but I want to know by what rights you deserve to be."

The older Weasley made no reply to this; rather he did not know what to say. He knew he didn't deserve it, and anyway saying he did for whatever reason might further anger his youngest brother.

"I don't," Percy stated carefully. "But I was sincere in my apologies, Ron. Mum and Dad forgave me but I didn't ask them to. I didn't expect them to."

"So you think then everything is back to normal? Do you have any idea what Mum and Dad went through because of you?"

"Yes, I have an idea. And anyway, this isn't about them. They've forgiven me and that's water under the bridge. This is about you and me."

"All right. Why should I bloody forgive you? Harry is my best friend, and you bloody well know the things I have seen and been through with him! You were bloody there my first year at Hogwarts, when He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named almost got the Sorcerer's Stone! Or was I a liar, too? And Hermione? Did nothing that I had seen, or that Ginny had seen, cross your mind at all? Was the Chamber of Secrets another fabrication? Did you really think Harry would kill Cedric? You're a bloody moron for ever believing the bloody Minister."

This was followed with complete silence. Percy knew his brother was right about everything, but he was still left with a need to defend himself.

"You have never understood me, Ron. You're right about everything you just said, of course, but… You just don't understand where I was coming from! My whole life, all I've ever been was just a Weasley. Bill and Charlie's younger brother, Fred and George's too-serious older brother. I never had close friendships like you have with Harry and Hermione. All I ever had was Penelope, and that didn't last. I was so afraid that all I would ever be was one of those Weasley children."

"What's wrong with being a Weasley?" Ron seethed.

"Nothing! But you don't get it! I was afraid of being nothing more! You know how some wizarding families look down on us just because of our name, and you know the financial problems we've had for years. I wanted to get past that. I wanted to be recognized as more than that."

He didn't realize it, but Percy had just struck a chord in his youngest brother. Percy's insecurities and fears echoed the ones Ron always struggled with. Ron had always felt so overshadowed by all of his older brothers, Percy included. He was afraid of only being the youngest of the Weasley boys, merely Harry Potter's best friend. He wanted to be more than that, too.

When Ron didn't speak, Percy lifted his gaze and was shocked to see the younger Weasley looking so thunderstruck. "What?" Percy asked. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Ron replied. "Percy, I do understand all of that. But wasn't there a way for you to get what you wanted without hurting all of us like that?"

Percy sighed. "There was, I'm sure. I am sorry I allowed my ambitions to blind me, and I am dreadfully sorry about that letter."

Ron only nodded, not exactly accepting his brother's apology nor forgiving him just yet, but as they left the room, a new feeling of understanding rose between them, as did the feeling that they'd been spied on.

**TBC**


	5. Chapter Five

_Author's Notes: Here we are at last, after four years! Can you believe it? I finally made the decision to finish this, so if anyone out there is still with me on this, thank you, and my deepest apologies. Obviously this story became AU when book six came out. I hope you enjoy this final chapter._

Chapter Five

Percy stayed at the Burrow for two more days, occasionally receiving visits from his parents and older brothers, but rejecting every invitation by his mother back to Grimmauld Place. He didn't want to crowd his younger siblings, especially Ron, and despite the empty house, he enjoyed being home again.

The subject almost caused a fight between him and his mother. Molly brought or sent food for Percy at every meal, but was anxious for him to visit the family more. Surprisingly, Arthur sided with Percy on the matter.

"Let him come when he wants to come, Molly," Arthur said. "Besides, we don't want the others to feel pushed."

"Well he shouldn't stay here too long. It's dangerous. What if they figure out he's staying here? Don't you want your son to be safe?"

"Of course I do, Molly, but he is safe here, for now, or I'd never have suggested it."

"Besides, Mum," Percy added. "It's overcrowded at Grimmauld Place. I'm enjoying having time alone here. It's giving me a chance to think."

Although not particularly happy, Molly agreed to be patient. At the end of the second day, Arthur visited alone.

"I've asked your mother to stay behind tonight," he explained as he set food out on the table. "I thought you might want the chance to talk, man to man, about the things you said you've been thinking about."

Thinking was nearly all he'd been doing the past two days, forcing himself to take a good look at what he'd done and who he really was; he'd reached some conclusions about himself he didn't particularly like. He wasn't sure how he could share them with his father.

Arthur didn't push, however, so they ate their meals mostly in silence. When the food was gone, Percy thought his dad might leave, but Arthur sat back in his chair.

"I miss this old house," he said, looking around. "To most people, she isn't much, we had a good home in her."

Percy nodded.

"Your mother and I raised seven children in this house." Arthur looked his third-born in the eye. "It wasn't always easy for us with seven children, but we did our best. I always loved each and every one of you equally, and with all I had. I hope you know that, Percival."

"I do know that, Dad," Percy replied with surprise. "I always did."

Arthur nodded. "Good."

"Dad... I've realized some unpleasant things about myself. I'm sure you've already seen them. I'm ashamed of my actions and what they say about me as a person."

"A man can always change if he's truly willing," Arthur replied encouragingly. "Don't feel ashamed for your failings, son. Everybody has them. Learn from your mistakes and move on. There is plenty of good in you to see, and believe me, I see them."

"Really?"

"Of course, Percy. However misguided and naive you may have been, however ambitious you became, I believe you truly thought you were doing what was right. When you realized you were wrong, you owned up to it and apologized for it. Men twice your age don't have courage or humility enough to do that. And another thing-ambition of itself is not a bad thing. It can be a very good thing, and I think, in the future, it will be a very good thing for you."

"Thanks, Dad."

"And despite everything, I know you always loved us, all of us, just as all of us still love you. Don't be too discouraged by your younger siblings. Remember that steps have been taken in the right direction, and in the meantime, you're probably going to get a lesson in patience from them, I'm afraid."

"I can wait. I can do whatever I have to in order to make up for my mistakes. At least I haven't lost anyone for good."

"No, you haven't, Percy, and I think it's time you come back for a visit. Shall I tell your mother you'll come for breakfast?"

Molly made Percy's favorites for breakfast the next morning, and Arthur insisted that the entire Order be present for the meal, so that things might be normal. Just a few minutes before Percy arrived, as Molly finished up with the food, Arthur gathered Fred, George, Ron and Ginny for a discussion about their older brother.

"We promised not to push you about Percy, and that's not my intention here," he said. "But I do want you to bear one thing in mind-our war with Voldemort is only beginning. We cannot know how long it will last or who will survive. These are times we should draw together, forgive the past, and make the most of what we have right now. We may not have them later."

His children nodded, and he could see in each of their faces they were taking his words to heart, which was all he could ask. When they went down to the kitchen, Percy had arrived and was helping Molly put the food on the table. The room filled quickly as they were joined by Bill, Charlie, Hermione, and the rest of the Order. Ginny chose to sit next to Percy, who was almost immediately subjected to teasing by the twins. For the first time in his life, Percy didn't mind. Ron, too, was in better spirits and even invited Percy to a game of Wizard's Chess later. Arthur and Molly beamed at each other understanding that though this meal passed well, rough patches still lay ahead. But this was a good place to start.

Percy did not return to the Burrow.

**The End**

_Tag Note: I hope this end did not feel too rushed for you. I purposely didn't tie it all up in a neat little bow, because that's unrealistic, and honestly there's just too many high emotions running in the family to be able to justify that. I just wanted to write a fic where Percy came back and apologized, and received forgiveness from his family, and that's what this fic is. Please review. Thanks for reading!_**  
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